Apple Crisp Cupcakes

I have this tendency that as soon as I'm done making a dessert, I immediately start thinking of how I can take it to the next level and make it better.  Sometimes I can really drive myself crazy, but this time it totally worked in my favor and yours!  

It all started the last time I made apple crisp.  I took it out of the oven, set it on the counter to cool, and there it was just staring at me.  To be honest with you it just wasn't doing anything for me.  Now don't get me wrong I love a good apple crisp, but after making it about a million times, I needed a change.  I figured it was time for a makeover so I started deconstructing it to see what I could come up with.  As I started snacking on the crisp topping, I realized that the combination of oats, cinnamon, and brown sugar really made the most delicious fall sprinkles.  As soon as sprinkles popped in my head so did cupcakes.  What is it about cupcakes that just instantly makes people happy?  I think it must be that you get your own cute little cake that you don't have to share!  So I thought that all the components of apple crisp paired up with a little piece of happiness could be a really good thing.

The first thing I did was make some cinnamon cupcakes, and while they were cooling I started working on the apple filling.  I made a thick, gooey caramel filling that I hit with some bourbon, I mean this is me we're talking about!  Once the filling cooled a bit I stirred in a peeled and chopped pink lady apple.  I love using pink lady apples in baking, and no it's not because they're called pink lady.  Pink lady apples are sweet enough for snacking, yet firm and tart enough that they hold up beautifully in baking.  Then I baked some crisp topping on a cookie sheet just till it was golden.  After freezing the cupcakes for about 30 minutes so they could firm up, I scooped out the centers and loaded them up with the caramel apple filling.  Then I topped the cupcakes with whipped cream and garnished them with the cooled crisp topping.  Everything in these cupcakes worked really well together.  The cake itself was strong enough to hold the filling, yet still tasted light and airy.  All I'm going to say about the filling is you just need to grab a spoon, it's that good!  The whipped cream was the perfect frosting to accent the cake and filling.  Last but certainly not least, the crisp topping added the perfect crunch, and just that little bit of sparkle that was needed.  I'm pleased to say that this makeover was a complete success!       

Cinnamon Cupcakes

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
• 3/4 cup + 2T. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup AP flour
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1& 1/2t. baking powder
• 1/2t. salt
• 1 & 1/2t. cinnamon
• 1t. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup + 2T. milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs.
4. Sift dries and add to mixture alternating with milk.
5. Bake 20-22 minutes, rotating halfway through.
6. Cool on racks & freeze for 1 hour before filling.

*Yields 12 cupcakes

Apple Crisp Topping

• 1/2 cup AP flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2t. salt
• 1t. cinnamon
• 3/4t. nutmeg
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, cool

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Cut in butter with your fingers until you have pea sized pieces.
4. Bake on a cookie sheet lined with a silpat or parchment for 15-20 minutes till golden and crisp.
5. Store in an air-tight container until ready to use.

Apple Filling

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3T. unsalted butter
• 2T. light corn syrup
• pinch of salt
• 1T. Bourbon
• 1 pink lady apple, peeled & chopped

1. Bring sugar, cream, butter, corn syrup, and salt to a boil and reduce until sauce is really thick and bubbling.
2. Remove sauce from heat and stir in bourbon.
3. When sauce cools down stir in chopped apple.

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2T. powdered sugar

1. Whip cream at low speed until frothy.
2. Add sugar and whip at medium-high speed till cream holds peaks.
3. Use immediately or keep in fridge till ready to use.

Assembly

1. Scoop out center of chilled cupcakes.
2. Fill with boozy apple filling.
3. Top with whipped cream & garnish with crisp topping.